Part 11: Feast of Shadows
The dining table stretched long and gleaming, polished wood reflecting the faint golden glow of the chandelier. But to Bhuvanya, it wasn't a table—it was an altar. And she, the sacrifice.
She sat at the far end, a plate of untouched food before her. Hunger clawed at her insides, twisting them until her hands shook, but her pride fought every urge to lift the fork.
Across from her, Aarush lounged casually in his chair, eyes never leaving her. He didn't need to speak—the weight of his silence pressed down harder than chains.
Kabir, shirtless and unbothered, leaned across the table, resting his chin in his palm as he studied her with lazy hunger. His smirk widened as he pushed a glass of wine toward her.
"Eat, princess," Kabir drawled, voice dripping with mockery. "Starving yourself won't make you free. But it will make you weak. And weakness…" His tongue ran briefly over his lower lip, "…isn't attractive."
Bhuvanya's chest tightened. She forced her eyes down, away from his piercing stare.
Aarush finally spoke, his voice calm, deliberate. "He's right. You've tested me long enough. Eat."
The command wasn't loud, but it sliced through the air like steel. Her hand trembled as it hovered over the fork. Her pride screamed no. Her body screamed yes. Hunger won. She stabbed a piece of bread and forced it past her dry throat.
Kabir chuckled low, watching every move. "That's it. Good girl."
Heat rushed to her cheeks—rage, humiliation, fear—all tangled into one suffocating knot.
Then, Kabir rose. He walked slowly around the table, every step deliberate. She felt his presence before she saw him—standing behind her chair, leaning down, his breath hot against her neck.
"You look better when you obey," he whispered, so low only she could hear. "Maybe after dinner, I'll teach you how sweet obedience can taste."
Her fork clattered against the plate.
Aarush's gaze sharpened, but he didn't stop him. His smirk deepened, as though this was entertainment.
And then—Arav, the youngest, finally moved. His fork scraped against the plate as he set it down. His voice was soft, but carried across the heavy silence.
"She's not your toy, Kabir."
Bhuvanya's heart skipped. For a moment, she dared to breathe. But when she looked at Arav, his calm eyes held no kindness. Just something unreadable. Watching. Waiting.
In that instant, she realized the truth—
Aarush controlled her.
Kabir hunted her.
And Arav? He was the one she couldn't read.
The most dangerous of all.